Episode 6: Perimenopause vs Menopause — What’s the Difference (and Why It Matters)

If you’ve been told “your labs are normal” but you feel exhausted, anxious, overstimulated, or unlike yourself — this episode is for you.

In this episode, Jen breaks down the real differences between perimenopause and menopause, why most women feel their worst before periods stop, and how a functional medicine approach can bring clarity during this confusing season.

This is not about doing more — it’s about understanding what your body needs now.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The key differences between perimenopause and menopause
  

• Why perimenopause often feels harder than menopause
  

• Common midlife symptoms that are not “just stress” or aging
  

• How estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and thyroid hormones interact
  

• Why standard blood tests often miss the full picture
  

• How stress and under-fueling impact hormones after 35
  

• Functional testing options from an FDN-P perspective
  

• Why one-size-fits-all hormone advice doesn’t work
  

• What support actually looks like in midlife
  

  Functional Testing Discussed:

• DUTCH Hormone Test – hormone patterns, cortisol rhythm, estrogen metabolism
  

• Comprehensive Thyroid Panel – Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, antibodies
  

• GI-MAP Stool Test – gut health, inflammation, estrogen detox support
  

• Blood sugar and nutrient markers – foundational for hormone balance
  

Perimenopause isn’t a failure of your body — it’s a transition that requires different support. When we stop guessing and start listening, symptoms make sense — and healing becomes possible.

If you’re tired of guessing and want a plan built for your body, this is the work I do with my 1:1 clients.

Learn more about working together: www.youniquebalancehc.comSchedule a call with Jen: https://l.bttr.to/Y9HOt

In this episode, Jen walks you through what it means to be a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and how FDN-Ps can serve YOU! She also explains the process of working with her and why testing and coaching are both vital pieces of the health puzzle.

For more information on Jen and YBHC, follow along on IG @youniquebalancehc

Check out the YBHC website at: www.youniquebalancehch.com

How the gut influences your hormones, mood, and immune system — and what to do about it

Tune in to hear how your symptoms may be gut related and what to do about it!

Ready to take the next step with your gut healing? Schedule a call with Jen: https://l.bttr.to/Y9HOt

Learn more about YBHC at:

www.youniquebalancehc.com

Follow along on IG: @youniquebalancehc

What’s Really Going On with Estrogen, Progesterone & Cortisol

If you’ve been feeling like your energy has tanked, your mood is unpredictable, or your metabolism has hit a wall… you’re not alone. So many women in midlife feel this way and are told it’s “just aging” or “normal hormones.”

But here’s the truth — it’s not just age. It’s about what’s happening under the surface with your hormones — specifically estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol.

So in today’s episode, we’re unpacking:

• What’s really going on with those three key hormones,
  

• How those shifts show up in your mood, weight, and energy, and
  

• What you can do right now to bring your body back into balance.

Links:

Magnesium: I love Designs for Health Magnesium Glycinate at night-here is the one I use: https://us.fullscript.com/plans/younique-balance-mom-burnout-kit

I also use Earthley Magnesium Lotion most nights: https://earthley.com/?affiliateId=Younique Balance

Take the Hormone Quiz to see if hormone testing is right for you: https://l.bttr.to/VvkSz

Today’s episode is titled Burnout in Your 40s: Why Eating Less and Moving More Isn’t the Answer.

Have you been lead to believe that the reason you’re gaining weight, feeling exhausted, or not fitting in your jeans anymore is because you need to eat less and move more?

Yep. Me too. We were all taught this, and for a while, it might have even worked. I know it did for me but then 40 hit and it actually started to backfire.

Listen in and learn ways to change this mentality and take back your health once and for all.

Take the Hormone Quiz here: https://l.bttr.to/VvkSz

For more information on YBHC, head to our website: www.youniquebalancehc.com

Follow along on Instagram: @youniquebalancehc

Reach out to Jen at jen@youniquebalancehc.com

Research Study Citation:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20368473/Information in this podcast is meant for educational purposes only and it not meant to diagnosis or treat any specific medical conditions.

YOU in Balance: Real talk + real tools for midlife hormones, burnout, and gut health.

Welcome to the YOU in Balance podcast--where midlife moms learn to take the guesswork out of their health so they can feel better in their bodies, regain their energy and thrive in this new chapter. After listening to each episode, you should feel empowered to take back your health. You deserve to feel vibrant at every stage of life!

In today's episode, you will hear from Jen Alsman, FDN-P and owner of Younique Balance HC. She will be real with you about her own health struggles and journey and also share the mission of the YOU in Balance podcast.

For more information on YBHC, head to our website: www.youniquebalancehc.com

Follow along on Instagram: @youniquebalancehc

Have questions or suggestions for future topics, send Jen an email: jen@youniquebalancehc.com